Rottenheart and Varg (Balewood Warbands)

I'm wondering the genius behind these warbands. Balewood is a dark, thick forest, which is definitely not a suitable place for mounted combat. Especially Rottenheart's position is really bad, it's at a slope with a lot of trees around and you may fall to Eaves of Fangorn.

These warbands are the worst ones by far. They totally don't fit the mounted combat concept. I don't hope these warbands to change, but you never know. At least I hope, you don't release this kind of warbands in the future.

They are tough; probably fatally so if you're alone, but then they're designated group quests, I think.

Personally I'm glad of it. There is a paucity of hard landscape content around, so having something you can't just comfortably chop up on foot or on a stationary horse or easily kite (like Bugud) is a nice change. Charging recklessly through the Balewood on horseback, only to blunder into one of these, panic, and fall off a cliff or get unhorsed as you flail about adds to the atmosphere. This is one of the few places that actually feels a bit dangerous to heedlessly solo. Give me more!

Also no reason not to have warbands specifically lurking in non-mounted combat areas. I'd love it if they retrofitted the rest of the world with roving warbands that you'd either have to flee or fight on foot (maybe necessarily in a group to realistically beat).

They are tough; probably fatally so if you're alone, but then they're designated group quests, I think.

Personally I'm glad of it. There is a paucity of hard landscape content around, so having something you can't just comfortably chop up on foot or on a stationary horse or easily kite (like Bugud) is a nice change. Charging recklessly through the Balewood on horseback, only to blunder into one of these, panic, and fall off a cliff or get unhorsed as you flail about adds to the atmosphere. This is one of the few places that actually feels a bit dangerous to heedlessly solo. Give me more!

Also no reason not to have warbands specifically lurking in non-mounted combat areas. I'd love it if they retrofitted the rest of the world with roving warbands that you'd either have to flee or fight on foot (maybe necessarily in a group to realistically beat).

You totally didn't get my point. I'm not against warbands being challenging or hard. For all I care, make them really hard.

BUT, dark and thick forests are no places for mounted combat, which is still insanely laggy btw. I'm not asking them to make warbands soloable, I'm asking them to put warbands in more logical locations.

You totally didn't get my point. I'm not against warbands being challenging or hard. For all I care, make them really hard.

BUT, dark and thick forests are no places for mounted combat, which is still insanely laggy btw. I'm not asking them to make warbands soloable, I'm asking them to put warbands in more logical locations.

Yeah, I'm agreeing that rubber-banding, lag, getting stuck behind obstacles, etc. makes riding and thus mounted combat very frustrating in the Balewood (though at least we're not forced to dismount, and can forego fury benefits to fight standing still if we want).

I'm saying that those warbands are meant to be manageable on foot, albeit as part of a group. Nothing wrong with pedestrian warbands in pedestrian zones.

Yeah, I'm agreeing that rubber-banding, lag, getting stuck behind obstacles, etc. makes riding and thus mounted combat very frustrating in the Balewood (though at least we're not forced to dismount, and can forego fury benefits to fight standing still if we want).

I'm saying that those warbands are meant to be manageable on foot, albeit as part of a group. Nothing wrong with pedestrian warbands in pedestrian zones.

New to Riders of Rohan™, Warbands are elite groups of mounted enemies that roam the plains on foul errands.
...
Unlike other foes, Warbands travel over large distances and can quickly overcome the unwary adventurer.

I just took a look at Wildermore (online for the first time in a month or two), and apart from being massively disappointed, I also noticed that the two Warbands in Balewood are not mounted, not roaming plains and (as far as I could see) not travelling over large distances.

But then again, why would Turbine start keeping up with their previous statements...

Just encountered Rottenheart today and it has to be one of the most stupidly placed MOUNTED COMBAT enemies so far. Varg isn't as bad as you can ride up and down the road, but with Rottenheart, if you're not blinded by the tree limbs, you're running into trees or getting knocked off the cliff by one of the enemies... if you don't slingshot off of it because of lag.

I have duo'ed Rottenheart with my questing buddy on 4 combos so far: minstrel/hunter, LM/warden, hunter/LM, and guard/minstrel. Hectic? Sure, but we completed it fully mounted. Once my buddy fell into the Eaves, but once we realized that was possible, it was pretty easy to keep a safe distance away. The fights are always long and a few times one of us will die, but the rez circle is a stone's throw away, so we just come back and keep going. The most annoying (for me) was on my guard. They sure do like to knock you back or yank you forward. I felt like a pingpong ball...

As for Varg, I find that to be a pretty easy area. I lead them down the path away from Balewood a very short distance (roughly parallel to the stable camp) and just run circles around them. Only slightly challenging solo -- piece of cake duo'ed with my questing buddy.

I just took a look at Wildermore (online for the first time in a month or two), and apart from being massively disappointed, I also noticed that the two Warbands in Balewood are not mounted, not roaming plains and (as far as I could see) not travelling over large distances.

But then again, why would Turbine start keeping up with their previous statements...

Despite what that update says, we already have unmounted warbands in the game that were created back when that update was originally posted. Quite a few of them actually. Without literally checking, I'd say probably close to half of all the warbands in East Rohan are unmounted, actually, considering the various troll/warg/drake/etc combinations that exist. And even some that are mounted are sometimes half-and-half, if I remember correctly. *shrug*

Solo'd Varg countless times. Very easy (especially once you kill the adds) just ride up and down the road. Rottenheart I have duo'd a few times and think it might be possible for me to solo but not really worth the effort for me. There are tons of trees and that makes it difficult but not impossible. I don't think that in real life mounts were only used in the deserts and the plains. I am pretty sure there was also plenty of mounted combat going on in the forest (more dangerous and challenging --yes but not impossible). Think out your strategies and the strengths and weaknesses of your class and I am sure you can probably find workable alternatives.

Dont Gallop

My guild routinely 4 man Varg and Rottenheart. The fighting is much more manageable on horseback if you dont gallop. Trot for Varg (its easier to swing around on the road that way) and canter for Rotten( I have 2 trees I like to lead him around while our hunter and Loremaster kill his little friends. Both battles are a piece of cake, just wish RH gave more than a green box.

While i agree varg is pretty easy to solo (done it on all my 85'ers just as a test) and Rotten fairly easy (only done it once in a 4-man) i strongly agree with the OP. To put something which is intended for mounted combat in a place like balewood is just annoying.

I wish they would take the warbands like those and put an area around them which prevents mounted combat (like near cities or in areas outside Rohan) and tweak them a bit so we need to fight them on foot.

This could give some fun gameplay and as a bonus there would exist some warbands to take down for those who hate mounted combat!

Why invent warbands and then only put them in situations where you can use your OP-horse?